Pushing Fifty

The Santa Fe Reporter’s 50th anniversary officially falls on June 26, but co-founders Richard McCord and Laurel Knowles gave advance warning before the first edition hit the streets, so we celebrate our birthday all month. In a June 13, 1974 story in the former Santa Fe News, McCord heralded the forthcoming Reporter by saying the paper’s “emphasis” would be local.

“We are basing our approach on the conviction that Santa Fe is one of the most interesting—if not the most interesting—city of its size in the country,” he said.

McCord died Oct. 7, 2020 at the age of 79, and remained a stalwart supporter of the paper throughout his life. As announced earlier this year, SFR is currently for sale by its current owners, Richard Meeker and Mark Zusman, who purchased the paper in 1997 from Hope Aldrich, who had owned it since 1988.

The pending changes here got us thinking about the future, so we decided to ask 50 Santa Feans to share their hopes and visions for Santa Fe in another 50 years, circa 2074 (edited for style and concision, with an extended version online).

Whatever the future brings (flying cars, alien telepathy, affordable housing), we remain devoted to the most interesting city in the US (regardless of size), and look forward to celebrating our anniversary with everyone at our Aug. 2 Best of Santa Fe party in the Railyard. We would not have thrived for the last half century without you.

—Julia Goldberg

“Edward Gibbon described historical analysis in terms of a contraction of time and failure of hope. Only slightly less pessimistically, I tend to see the next 50 years as a reflection of the last: continued advances in science and technology coupled to stasis and superstition in society. Global empathy needs to be our next moonshot. " —David Krakauer, president and William H. Miller Professor of Complex Systems at the Santa Fe Institute

“I think the ideal Santa Fe is…all the locals are able to stay here, work here and not get pushed out. My ideal scenario is that we all hold onto our roots, keep our family homes and thrive.” —Andrea Abedi, co-founder The Kitchen Table

“One thing I hope to see—although I don’t plan on being here in this world—I would really hope Santa Fe becomes a more thriving and nurturing art scene. I’m thinking of locals; a younger, more cutting-edge art scene and more diverse. I think if we don’t start supporting this type of art, it’s a good way to lose a distinct culture. There’s a lot of healing going on through art—a lot of new ideas—and I just hope that gets nurtured and celebrated and put in the public eye.”—Jana Gottshalk, curator Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum

“A lot of change has come to Santa Fe over the past 50 years. But one thing remains the same—this is our home. I trust that the Santa Fe Reporter will continue being an important voice for the community as we grow together over the next 50 years.” —US Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-NM

“With our sparkling shoreline, Santa Fe is a vibrant tourist destination, especially for arts of all species. The newly imposed time travel passenger limit ensures a delightful yet culturally informative visit.” —Erika Wanenmacher, artist

“As a Santa Fe native, I’m proud that our beautiful, dynamic city maintains its historic character while embracing the future. Among my wishes for Santa Fe in 50 years—and hopefully much sooner—are far more affordable housing, clean vehicles and ample public charging stations, zero litter, safer, smoother roadways, efficient mass transit and foolproof strategies to conserve our precious natural resources. I also wish that kindness and being friendly would become a central part of every Santa Fean’s being. At the same time, I hope some things about Santa Fe never change. That includes our soulful diversity, rich cultural and culinary traditions, awe inspiring natural beauty and eternal civic pride as residents of The City Different.” —Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

“Kill your iPhone” is so 2030s, and Santa Fe loves old-fashioned things: hand-churned ice cream, writing letters, neighborhood picnics, reading out loud. Meanwhile, we’re still funky and busy and mellow and kind. (There’s a baby asleep in my arms as I type this, and I have no choice but to hope.) —Kate McCahill, Associate Professor of English, Chair of English and Communications at Santa Fe Community College

In 2074, Santa Fe will be a thriving hub of sustainable innovation and cultural preservation. The city will boast advanced eco-friendly infrastructure, vibrant art scenes and a harmonious blend of traditional and modern influences. Santa Fe will continue to be a beloved destination known for its rich history and forward-thinking initiatives and, of course, the 150th burning of Zozobra! —Raymond G Sandoval, Zozobra Event Committee Chair

“Mi querida bellísima SF, It is 2074 and I love you. Our Indigenous cultures forever thrive in our unique integration of subcultures, for so long deserving overdue respect and opportunity. You are family-friendly, provide infrastructure of excellence, opportunities for our youth, respect for the environment, guaranteed protection for our diverse communities, a landscape of beauty, clean air and world-renowned culture and arts. Te quiero SF. You are my happy place.” — María José Rodríguez Cádiz, executive director of Solace Sexual Assault Services

“For decades, selfishness grew. Santa Fe lost its soul. With its ideals thus weakened, the poverty riots, forest fires, energy failures and economic collapse hit the town very hard. The short-lived plutonium boom made it worse. Most people left. A few small faith-based communities remain, praying for peace—and rain.”—Los Alamos Study Group Executive Director Greg Mello

“In 2074, Santa Fe thrives as a global arts hub, blending innovation with heritage. Through immersive performances amidst natural wonders, the Santa Fe Opera honors tradition and embraces future possibilities. Powered by renewables and enriched by cultural inclusivity, shared moments remind us that while technology opens new realms, the humanness of the arts endures.” —Robert K. Meya, general director of the Santa Fe Opera

“Atencio v State’s success spurred other multi-billion-dollar climate justice awards that in Santa Fe, combined with the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, has helped to drive a modern renaissance of locally built, net-positive, affordable, earthen construction. Because a majority of Santa Fe’s workforce can now afford to live here, the increased tax base now funds community-based arts, service, and cultural programs in every school and neighborhood, serving as a national model in building healthy communities.” —Jamie Blosser, executive director, Santa Fe Art Institute

“Our destination today is the Lodge at the Valles Caldera National Park; we were lucky to get one of the last rooms available, and we booked the all-day bus excursion for tomorrow since cars are no longer allowed in the park. Mom wanted to take the short route up 599 and miss the terrible traffic in Santa Fe, but Dad insisted on at least seeing the Plaza and the new monument by octogenarian Rose Simpson that had finally been erected a few years ago after four decades of heated debate. As we crested the hill above the valley, we were struck by the endless sprawl of little box-like houses and larger box-like apartment buildings that spread to the horizon on both sides of the highway. —Robert Benedetti, founder, New Mexico Actors Lab

“I hope it looks like leadership is super diverse and representative of the longtime families and pueblos and peoples that have been here. Also, all mixed up with all different types of people in all things. I want everything from city government to arts institutions to look like the people they’re serving, and that it’s all moving forward in a big, beautiful, bountiful way. Everyone’s arguing, but it’s OK to argue because they’re coming up with solutions for the community and for Santa Fe; that it’s this big ‘what can be’ because of ‘what has been.’” —Raashan Ahmad, performer and executive director, Vital Spaces

“Maybe we can get off this dependence of focusing on the economy and all the things that keep the rich richer. They’ve got to let go, and we’ve got to get back to the Earth to sustain. I know a lot of them have plans to go elsewhere, like some other planet, but Indigenous people are going to be here until the end no matter what, so maybe have some consideration, because it’s not all about money.” —Gary Farmer (Cayuga Nation and Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee Iroquois Confederacy), actor/musician

“In 50 years, Santa Fe will be a mecca for aging mountain bikers, science fiction writers, and micro-brewers. The Railyard will be a vibrant, family-oriented gathering place, complete with a splash pad whose supply is held in the wooden water tank, and there will be a clear way for those who call Santa Fe home to actually buy a home. Finally, because of a concerted effort to encourage families to move to Santa Fe, the city has been chosen by several magazines as a top 10 place to raise children.” — Randy Grillo, principal of Mandela International Magnet School

“In the next 50 years, what makes Santa Fe timeless will still resonate. As forces change outside of our town, our people retain a sense of continuity, kindness and genuine nature that will be more coveted than ever in the world.” — Meg Fisher, co-founder of Santa Fe AI Partners, senior advisor for Code for America and adjunct instructor at the Santa Fe Community College

“In 2074, economic, environmental and social structures are predicted to collapse. But my faith is in our diverse youth who will come together to create a better way…and somewhere in that mix the diverse cultures and traditions which make up Santa Fe will endure. In the late summer the smell of roasting chile will remind them that all is well.” — Veronica García, chief strategic officer of Reimagining Santa Fe Public Schools

“My hope is that Santa Fe in 50 years has still retained its rich proud history because now, in the year 2024, I see us losing that history by certain issues that have arisen. I think Santa Fe will thrive being that the city has been here for more than 400 years. I can only imagine and hope that it retains the diversity that has made Santa Fe world renowned and accepting of everyone and everything worldwide.” —Ron Trujillo, former Santa Fe city councilor

“As the food bank continues to envision hunger-free communities, we recognize the need for Santa Fe to consider a higher living wage. As hunger is a symptom of poverty, our hope for 50 years from now is to address all the issues we have which keep people in poverty. While there may be several solutions, one I believe is necessary is a higher living wage—over $20.00 an hour. In the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu: ‘There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they are falling in.’”—Sherry Hooper, executive director for The Food Depot

“The next 50 years of education in Santa Fe will be influenced by what we do now. And if we do it right, the future for Santa Fe looks bright: students engaged in skill-based classes that align with their future career choices, with teaching and learning including state-of-the-art technological resources, supportive artificial intelligence and, perhaps, even simulated environments. Teachers are globally minded given the world’s increasing interconnectedness, with geographic barriers to learning a thing of the past. As Santa Fe will be more compact, diverse and older, our young people will be conditioned to service for the betterment of all.” — Hilario “Larry” Chavez, superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools

“I will say that in my first thoughts, I went deeply dystopian—y’know, with climate; like, when the server farms all fail in the heat and AI collapses, suddenly people will look around and realize what’s real and handmade is the most precious and culturally valuable thing. The people who can draw and write and make music and carve things and make ceramics and do things with food—the artists, the culture-makers—will be the most important people in Santa Fe, and not because of tourism, but because we realize their work is intrinsically valuable to humanity. Santa Fe artists will finally have the space and resources they need.” —Chelsey Johnson, director, City of Santa Fe Arts & Culture Department

“Fifty years from now, Santa Fe will continue to be a place of art and culture where people feel they can be themselves and where we have an enormous diversity of population. I think the traditions will continue. I expect that we will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of Zozobra and the 152nd Indian Market. I think all of the traditions, the culture, the history and the art are so deeply ingrained in the DNA of Santa Fe that that will be something people celebrate, and the folks who are living here 50 years from now will just take it as a matter of course—that’s who we are. I think it will be larger in population, but not in sensibility.” —Alan Webber, City of Santa Fe mayor

“For me, the hope for Santa Fe is that we’ve created an environment where we’re the City Different for all the right reasons…The big thing is not only that we get past our differences—obviously, we want to recognize everything that transpired—but also move past it. So for me, it’s just getting to that place where we acknowledge our history, but we’re also updating that history from beyond the conquistadores. I know that sounds weird. Flying cars would be cool too. Whatever The Jetsons have going on—that looks awesome.” —Korina Lopez, Pete’s Place executive director

“Well, I can envision Santa Fe getting all of its energy from solar power, and other than that, very similar. It’s not going to change much. I would like to see both prospering Anglo and Hispanic communities.” —Hank Hughes, Santa Fe Board of County Commissioners, District 5

“Fifty years from now, I see a world class, indoor soccer complex made with recycled materials where kids of all backgrounds are enjoying a beautiful game together and not paying a dime and having the time of their lives. And it’ll be a beautiful sight. Plus some really cool robots and stuff like that.” —Scott Hussion, Northern Soccer Club executive director

“In 2074, I see Santa Fe with more potential, more opportunities for Hispanics. I see it full of businesses with more jobs for many people. I think if the young people of today, who are the adults of the future, set out to create their own businesses, this city will continue to be one of the ones with the most tourism and the most beautiful of New Mexico. Above all, I hope it will continue to be a productive and prosperous city for those who live here and those to come—our sanctuary city where a different race or language doesn’t matter—our beautiful Santa Fe.” —Isabel Zambrano, Zumba Latino Studio Fitness and Bella’s Fashion Boutique owner

“The more things change, the more they stay the same in Santa Fe. But the city is always going to be a destination city, and it will be a place for families and friends. It will always have its culture and amazing food. Even though I think it will grow in population, it’s always going to have a hometown feel. It’s always going to be inviting diverse ideas and cultures from people who call Santa Fe home.” —David Fresquez, Santa Fe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce executive director; owner of Age Friendly Senior Care and the Santa Fe Gloom futsal team

“As I sit in my kitchen watching it rain, I ponder what Santa Fe will be like in 50 years. I think of my childhood and how Santa Fe has changed in my lifetime. I remember how much it would snow and rain when I was a child. We used to ride our snowmobiles around my parents yard all winter. We even had a track for them, with jumps and dips built-in. I then think about the fact that my children enjoyed snowy days as a treat because they were too few and far between. In 50 years will it snow at all? Last week we almost hit 100 degrees. In 50 years will our beautiful little city surrounded by mountains look more like a desert? My thoughts are that yes, unless drastic changes are made, there will be very little water and our forests will have burned up. We all need to take action to prevent these very things from happening.” — Allana Cartier, president of NEA Santa Fe, RN and school nurse at Aspen Elementary

“At the brink of complete cultural gentrification, Santa Fe realized in the 2020s that people, not the aesthetics of buildings, are what truly hold culture. As a result, we rejected the early 20th-century approach to historic preservation, recognizing that it in fact undermined so much of what we value about Santa Fe. Through a renewed vision of how we approach growth and development we returned to truly historic—and prehistoric—development patterns that focused on more communal housing built with local materials. We collectively invested in making sure people from Santa Fe could always afford to live in their hometown and regained our place as a leader in sustainable and affordable housing.”—Daniel Werwath, Office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham senior housing policy advisor

“I would like for Santa Fe to continue being a multicultural and wonderful place to live and affordable for everyone who wants to work here, including the workforce; a place where small businesses and families and people can thrive. —Piper Kapin, owner of Backroad Pizza

“While I’d love to say we’ll have the flying cars The Jetsons promised, I believe in 50 years, Santa Fe will lead in innovation, foresight and education in our region. We’ll tackle climate change, housing affordability, water scarcity, renewable energy and economic diversification. SFCC, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, will be 90 years old and continue leading in workforce training and re-skilling to meet the needs of a changing job market, and adapting to new technologies and industries—maybe even flying cars.”—Becky Rowley, president of Santa Fe Community College

“Still being the most historic, funky, and unique state capitol city — approaching a population of 150k (and still struggling to house and feed its natives).” —WH Dougharty, retired college administrator

“In 2074, Santa Fe is objectively measured as the best community in the US for youth, elders, families and everyone in between. The highly regarded Community Counts Data Book ranks Santa Fe as super strong in its public schools, housing accessibility, desirable jobs, community collaboration and problem-solving abilities.”—Kate Noble, SFPS Board of Education member, District 3, and president and CEO of Growing Up New Mexico

“In 50 years, I see Santa Fe as a place that its current-day youth were able to create and generate opportunity in, and positioned to afford to live in, staying rooted in their communities and works of passion. Citizens value education and heritage deeply as it continues to bring vibrancy to this spectacular city.”—Amy Chacon, co-founder and teacher at THRIVE Community School

“My hope is that Santa Fe’s music scene continues to flourish over the next five decades. I hope the community still gathers on the Plaza and in the Railyard (maybe if I can be visionary for a moment, with the addition of public restroom facilities!) for free concerts as well as new emerging community-gathering places yet to emerge. I hope Santa Fe remains true to its remarkable commitment to the positivity and connectivity that comes when the community gathers to share live music together. I hope the trees and grass on the Plaza are still green and healthy, but that the horrible brown box covering the plinth of the fallen obelisk is finally gone. —Jamie Lenfestey, director Lensic 360

“What I hope Santa Fe will be like and what I think it will be like are two different things. I will answer with my hopes: that Santa Fe will remain small and quirky; that Santa Fe will always be a place for eccentric artists, struggling authors, impecunious musicians, aspiring screenwriters, aging hippies and other unconventional people; that Santa Fe will still have some terrible dirt streets; and that it will still occasionally snow on Christmas Eve.” —Douglas Preston, author

“I would love to see Santa Fe maintain its Indigenous and Hispano cultural legitimacy and not become completely gentrified. I just want Santa Fe to not lose its soul. That’s what I hope.” —Garrett VeneKlasen, New Mexico Wildlife Federation executive director

“I think people will still be eating that red and green chile. I think they’re still going to be eating a delicious chicken enchilada in the Railyard, because it’s such an important part of our culture. I think that compared to the rest of the world, it won’t change as much in Santa Fe, because old habits die hard here. I’d hope for more local food being grown here—and good food, too. But I also think there’s going to be a big collapse because we’ve become too centralized—and we’re seeing that now socially, economically; but Santa Fe is unique cultures, unique ecosystems. I think Santa Fe will be pretty groovy.” —George Gundrey, owner, Tomasita’s (also turning 50 this year)

“I’ve dreamed about this! The dream consisted of a gigantic bowl-shaped…kind of like a bong, but it was an adobe skyscraper. And it had a bunch of vigas coming out of it. It was the biggest hotel, and everything was just hotels, but we had this adobe skyscraper. It dominated the landscape. Realistically, I think it would still continue doubling down on the art angle, and especially with climate change and things getting more desert-y here, they would lean into location and identity, and hopefully doubling down on something cool, like Zozobra; and that it’s not such a dichotomy between emerging arts and established, commodified things. I would also hope for a seat…like, a seat for a raven representative or coyote representative on the City Council.” —Benji Geary, artist and Meow Wolf co-founder

“I’d love to imagine a Santa Fe that offers its best to our children and families. I foresee a 100% renewable-powered SFPS, with abundant water-wise gardens at each site. I hope in 50 years we have a magnificent tree canopy on the Southside; enough opportunities for our children to spend time in and near water in a way that conserves this most precious resource; a sense of safety that comes from relying on one another for support; and infrastructure and cultural shifts that decrease our reliance on cars and help us connect to our neighborhoods. And in 50 years, I sure hope all of the families and children who imbue Santa Fe with its vibrancy can still afford to live here.”—Sascha Anderson, SFPS Board of Education member, District 5

“It’s 2074. A brilliant local high school chemistry student in Santa Fe became world famous in 2034 when, just in the nick of time to save the entire planet, they discovered a way to regulate and remove CO2 in the atmosphere and microplastics in the environment. They developed this theory while in band class thinking about how to transpose a concert A major scale for Bb flute. The byproduct of these processes produce a dense, mysterious crystal which naturally form a sphere, and that resonates with other spheres of this composition in a quantum field. So in 2040, we finally replaced the plywood box on the Plaza with one of these crystal spheres and now we can communicate with other cities and share events, festivals and ceremonies.” -Andy Primm, videographer and musician

“I hope that we’re a town that can honor its history, diversity, and legacy by embracing change. For me, that means affordable housing. That means moving towards sustainable practices even in cases where it kind of butts up against long-held beliefs in a certain system and a certain way of doing things. I think change is coming, like it or not. I’d like to see a more sustainable, more equitable future. And I’d certainly like to be here. I do feel like this town can be old fashioned or get stuck in old ways, and I think we’re going to get caught flat footed if we don’t embrace and work with the change and really think about our collective future.” —Phil Lucero, Climate Advocates / Voces Unidas education director)

“Fifty years from now I see trucks galore sporting Mexican flags on flagpoles made of red cedar. Ball players of all types will routinely point up to the heavens when failure strikes. One day a week will be set aside for all Santa Feans to weep openly over the demise and resurgence of Democracy.” —City of Santa Fe Poet Laureate Tommy Archuleta

“My vision for Santa Fe in 50 years is no more homeless pets. That’s what my focus is. I also hope to see that all the organizations are working together to end the homelessness of all these poor cats and dogs. On the non-animal side, I would like to see us resolve the water issues and resolve human homelessness so that we can make it the place that we all grew to love—those of us like me who moved here for that reason.” —Bobbi Heller, executive director, Feline and Friends New Mexico

“A city that is the model of an integrated approach to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion for the rest of the United States. Santa Fe’s citizens enjoy the beauty of our protected municipality both environmentally and socially.” —Kevin A. Bowen, executive director Human Rights Alliance Santa Fe

“I suppose I would have no choice but to delve into sci-fi. I imagine we’ll be living in a combination of reality, augmented reality and virtual reality. And I’m optimistic about it—that people, I think, will have the ability to not be consuming to the degree we are now; that we’ll be able to be stationary and have a system in place that’ll incubate a person or keep a person’s vitals going; and I think it will be a choice whether you want to live in reality or be in this augmented or virtual reality. There are so many breakthroughs in medicine happening right now, with stem cell and regenerative growth, I don’t think the diseases that affect us today will be the same. I think we’ll have figured out the needs and necessities we have from nature and be able to combine technology with it so we’re plugged into nature and this other reality.” —Ehren Kee Natay (Kewa Pueblo and Diné), composer, artist and filmmaker

“What will Santa Fe be like in the future? There’s this sense of looking to the past and then the present, and I can’t be who I’ll be in the future today, because it contradicts the idea of evolution, but the messages I’ve gotten my whole life have said there’s a lot more good than bad. We grow and make room to accommodate the changes. I wonder a little bit the future of chile. Where will that be grown? Will it continue to be a viable crop in Southern New Mexico? Maybe it has to go farther north to continue to grow and thrive. But we’re people who adjust and part of the adjustment is being able to change. I’d never give up on the farmers who’ve made it possible, but I’m still in the early phases of imagining what the future of chile might look like.” —Sarah Carswell, co-owner La Choza

“I would love to see Santa Fe as an urban, green utopia with very little traffic and amazing food and arts.” —Alma Castro, District 1 Santa Fe city councilor

“Oga Po’geh White shell water place. Singing in 2074. The dance of water and earth vibrates in the hearts of the people. There is no more need for land back calls to action. There is no more need to remember those who came first, because they are first. There is no more need to heal our relationship to colonizers or the colonized, because we finally had something more than a survey or a talk or a half-million dollar truth and reconciliation act or actions. We have moved beyond our conditions and traumas and have acknowledged all those that needed acknowledging.” —Israel Francisco Haros Lopez, co-founder Alas de Agua Art Collective

“My arts education version goes like this: the SFPS Board of Education requires a visual, performing or media arts credit to graduate high school and every single program is fully funded, fully enrolled and staffed by the most qualified and best-trained artist-educators in the nation.” —Cristina González, SFPS Fine Arts coordinator

“In 2074, Santa Fe has the most innovative water utility in the world that established a sustainable oasis through state of the art water reuse and harvesting systems. The city is powered by community-owned solar and storage that has made it more resilient and secure, as well as emissions-free. We have light rail trains that can take everyone anywhere they want to go for free. Robots have replaced workers, and now everyone has universal basic income, and a lot of leisure time. Housing, food and healthcare are provided for as human rights. There are no realtors anymore. Santa Fe has some of the most robust local agriculture and sustainable local food systems. No one lives in poverty. No one is hungry. Healthcare is accessible, abundant and highly skilled. There are no more cops. Flying cars have fixed the city’s road maintenance woes of yore. Perhaps most importantly, a lot of land has been given back to the tribes and also to the land grants. The forests are managed by these entities and other community groups, and there hasn’t been a major fire in decades. Technology has evolved to create sonic barriers around buildings, so there are no nuisance complaints over noise anymore, paving the way for the hottest night life scene in any small high altitude community. The city is endowed with a limitless grant fund to support artists of all disciplines and career stages which funds diverse, cutting-edge art accessible to all. The annual burning of Zozobra is about to have its 150th go. Strangely, politics, limited as they are in this directly democratic, autonomous society still find ways to be corrupt. Somehow, even now, in a moneyless society, there are pay-to-play schemes, politicians who embezzle campaign funds for gambling, and more, but it’s entertaining more than anything, because these schmucks don’t have any power. All drugs are legal and there are so many treatment and support resources for substance abuse that there are no real problems with their use any more. Midtown Santa Fe is finally the city center it always dreamed of being with extensive housing and arts infrastructure as well as everything you need to live and work within walking distance. There are now tall trees all throughout the city. The Santa Fe River flows fully again. The city is diverse in age, culture and backgrounds, and everyone manages to get along. There are no violent crimes anymore. Cannabis plants are now cultivated in the city medians and parks, which has replaced the city’s weed problem with a new, much-needed resource. Santa Fe managed to survive the unexpected eruption of the Jemez super volcano, which shut down the nuclear industry and the military industrial complex. The aliens started hanging out more and sharing their secrets. They’re starting to establish interdimensional treaties which include travel across space and time.” —Alysha Shaw, community organizer and musician